The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1887-05-18

afraid TO enter. "Do not be afraid that
will shoot you," cried the Christian.
"Come in and take me-" He was led
bound before the King. "Can you
read ~ he asked the boy. Eyes" was the
answer. Take him and roast him" was
the grim sentence. Another man when
ordered to death said "Be 1t so. / am a
Christian and | am not afraid to die"
Another member of the church council,
one of the Kings doorkeepers, was told
that his life would be spared if he would
renounce his new religion. He said he
would not, and one Of his hands was
hacked off and thrown into the flames
before his eyes. He was again asked he
would recant, and again he refused One
of his legs was then cut off and thrown
into the fire. Feebly the poor sufferer
spoke the words: 81 will die Chris
tian," and the flames soon ended his
agony.
Were such heroism and fortitude ever
surpassed among the most enlightened
nationsa And yet these poor people
three years before their frightful end
were as savage as the men who killed
them. Their courageous deaths have
proved that the Waganda are superior
African tribe, and that in them may be
developed the best and sternest moral
qualities.
At first the converts who were still al
liberty would not give up their religious
gatherings. They would stealthily gather
at dead OF night in some chosen rendez.
vous. But soon the storm of persecution
began to rage with such violence that
those who were still unscathed knew that
they must flee or take their turn at the
stake. In parties of two or three they
stole out of Rubaga and scattered through
the great woods to hide from their cruel
ruler and live as best they could on the
game they might kill and the fruits of the
forest. A cablegram from London two
weeks ago said the native Christians Of
Uganda were still in hiding.
Day by day as the massacres went on
the three English and two French mis-
sionaries at Rubaga expected to be put
to death. The King would not see the
Englishmen at all, and the French priests
were rarely admitted to his presence
After the murders had ceased, however
for want of more native Christians tt
kill the King decided to let several of tn,
missionaries leave his country. They
had been for many months practically
prisoners in Rubaga. The chiefs urged
the King to kill them, but he said thai
all but two of them might go. Mr.
Mackay and Father Livinhac were skill
full mechanics as well as educated men
and Mwanga decided to keep them tc
build his houses and perform Other
manual labor. There they still were
in November last, slaves Of the King
drudging away around the royal huts
in Rubaga. 1t is hard to say when
their day of release will come. One
reason Stanley gave for not taking the
Zanzibar route to Emin Pasha was that
in passing through or near Uganda he
would endanger the lives of these poor
men.
Mwanga has 900 wives, quite mod
crate number considering that his royal
fathers harem contained over 1000
women. 1t lis certain that a better day
win some time dawn on Uganda. With
all the genial and civilizing influences
that are now making their way into the
dark continent 1t can hardly be that one
Of the fairest parts Of Africa will be per-
manently the abode of cruelty and bar
barism. G. G. ADAMS.